WhatsApp’s hidden archive feature allows you to hide conversations that you don’t want showing up in your main chat list. Here are the steps to access your archived chats on both iPhone and Android:
Opening Hidden Archive on iPhone
1. Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the Chats tab at the bottom to see your chat list.
3. Swipe right on your chat screen to access the Archive tab.
4. Tap on the Archive tab. This will show you all your archived chats.
Opening Hidden Archive on Android
1. Open WhatsApp and tap on the 3-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
2. Select “Archived chats” from the menu.
3. This will open your archived chats list where you can access all your hidden chats.
Why Chats Get Archived
WhatsApp automatically archives chats that have not been active for over 6 months. This is to declutter your main chat screen. Chats can also get archived when you manually archive them by swiping left or right on a chat.
Archived chats will remain archived even if new messages come in. You won’t get notifications from archived chats. The only way to access them is by going into your Archive tab.
How to Unarchive Chats
If you want to unarchive a chat and move it back to your main chat list, here’s what to do:
- Open the archived chat you want to unarchive
- Tap on the name of the contact at the top of the chat window
- Select “Unarchive chat” from the menu
This will instantly move the chat back into your main chats list. New messages will now show up normally with notifications.
Permanently Deleting Archived Chats
If you want to permanently delete an archived conversation so it’s gone forever, here are the steps:
- Go into your Archive tab and open the chat you want to delete
- Tap on the contact name at the top
- Select “Delete chat” from the menu
- Confirm that you want to delete the chat
This will permanently erase the chat and its messages. There is no way to recover a deleted chat so only do this if you’re absolutely certain.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s archive feature is useful for hiding conversations you don’t need cluttering up your chat screen. Just remember archived chats are not deleted – they are simply hidden away in a separate tab.
To access your archive on both iPhone and Android, look for the Archive tab and open it to view your hidden chats. You can unarchive specific chats or delete archived conversations completely when needed.
Keeping your WhatsApp chats organized by archiving old or inactive conversations can help you stay on top of your most recent and important messages.
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When Chats Get Archived Automatically
In addition to archiving chats inactive for 6 months, WhatsApp will also automatically archive chats in some other cases:
- When your WhatsApp account is restored from a backup, all chats are archived
- Chats are archived when your phone number changes
- Group chats are archived if you leave the group
Manually Archiving Chats
You don’t have to wait for chats to be auto-archived. You can manually archive any chat that you don’t need cluttering your main chat list.
On iPhone, swipe left on a chat from the chat list to archive it. On Android, long press on a chat and select “Archive”.
Hidden Features in Archive
The Archive tab has some hidden features beyond just storing your archived chats:
- You can pin up to 3 archived chats to the top for easy access
- It’s possible to mute notifications for your entire archive
- There is a search bar to quickly find chats by name or message
Archived Chats Limit
You can archive an unlimited number of chats on WhatsApp. There is no limit to how many chats can be stored in your archive.
Media in Archived Chats
When you archive a chat, any media sent in that chat like photos, videos, GIFs, voice messages, documents etc. are all retained in the archived conversation.
You can browse and view all archived media as long as you have not deleted the chat.
Backups Include Archive
Whenever your WhatsApp chats are backed up, either manually or automatically to Google Drive or iCloud, your archived chats are also included in the backup.
If you ever need to restore your backup, your archived chats will also be restored.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp archive is a useful feature that helps you organize your conversations and maintain a clutter-free chat list. Make sure to use it to your advantage by archiving old chats and accessing your archive whenever you need to look back on hidden conversations.